The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission has accepted a recommendation that the priority duck blind drawing be conducted by computer.
Ed Warr, TWRA Waterfowl Biologist says he was surprised, but that it was a unanimous vote by the Commission. "There were probably about 60 members of the public there and the majority of them were opposed to the Computer drawing. But the Commission went for it anyway with only a few amendments," said Warr.
Here's how it will work. Computer applications will be distributed with a deadline for return sometime in June. You can only apply for one WMA, and have up to six people in a party. If any person is drawn, the whole party is drawn.
However, after that the members of the party will still have to travel to Big Sandy, Tenn. the 4th Saturday in August. That's where a second drawing will be held to determine exact blind sites. Those parties selected by computer have the priority.
For instance, if there are 100 blinds on Big Sandy WMA, 100 parties will be selected for first priority. In the on-site drawing, when one individual is drawn, the entire party comes out of the hat. But if anybody from the party shows up at Big Sandy, they're guaranteed a blind site... the only question is which one.
If all six people show up, you've got the best odds of being selected. If only 2 people show up, your odds of being selected early are lower.
And again, no matter which WMA you apply for, this year you'll go to Big Sandy for the on-site drawing. Warr says they haven't decided how it will be handled next year.
There will be 50 alternate parties selected who can attend the on-site drawing. If no one from a priority party shows up for the on-site drawing, the alternates will be included.
Parties who are selected must still meet certain blind construction requirments by October 31. If they don't meet the reuirements, the site will become a "temporary blind site only," available on a first-come, first served basis.
Warr said Commissioner Charles Peaveyhouse recommended that implementation of the new plan be delayed until 2003, however his motion died for lack of a second.
Warr admitted it will be a diffuclt gearing up process for TWRA. "I'm kind of uneasy. There's always glitches," he said.
Watch for future releases with more details on the process. Below is more background on the issue from a brevious article.
Duck hunters from East Tennessee have said for years that they’re not getting fair treatment. A recent survey indicated that is true.
Because of the large amount of wetland areas, the overwhelming majority of the best public duck hunting areas in Tennessee are from Kentucky Lake west. There are hundreds of public duck blind sites on well-managed waterfowl areas. To be selected for a blind however, a hunter must appear in person for the August drawings. Obviously it’s a huge inconvenience for an East Tennessee hunter to make the four to eight hour drive required to participate.
Yet a recent survey shows that about 40 percent of the duck hunters in the state live in East Tennessee. The survey broke it down by area code. In the 901, 731 and 615 area codes there are 16,783 duck hunters. In area codes 931, 423 and 865 there are 11,530 duck hunters. Clarence Coffey, the TWRA manager for the Chattanooga area didn’t expect those kinds of numbers. “I was surprised,” said Coffey. “Although I knew we had a lot more (duck hunters) than we were ever given credit for.”
Coffey and other TWRA managers say the East Tennessee duck hunters are paying to support waterfowl hunting in West Tennessee. However they’re not getting fair access. The Agency wants to change the system from a drawing where you must appear in person, to a computerized drawing – just like quota deer hunts are conducted.
TWRA’s Gary Cook was on the committee that studied the issue for two years. He says on one Kentucky Lake waterfowl management area no one from east of Nashville was drawn for a blind last year. On Reelfoot Lake zero percent of the blinds went to folks from East Tennessee. Meanwhile almost 10 percent of the blinds went to out-of-state hunters.
“Am I making my point,” exclaimed Cook. “We're spending millions of dollars just in West Tennessee and we're providing more opportunity for people out-of-state than we are for people in East Tennessee.”
In January the TWRA staff will recommend to the governing Commissioners that the system be switched to a computerized drawing, offering every hunter, no matter where they live, an equal chance. It will also reduce the opportunity for the illegal sale and barter of public blinds that TWRA staffers know goes on.
It sounds like it should be a done deal, but no doubt a strong West Tennessee contingent, with some serious political influence, will lobby against the measure.
One West Tennessee Commissioner, Bill Cox, says he can handle the pressure. “Oh, I can withstand it, absolutely,” said Cox. “My responsibility is for the entire
state and some of the things we're doing for these duck blind drawings is not fair for people statewide.”
Cook said even if the computer drawing measure gets through, they will still only offer blind sites for the entire season, but in the future they may do like other states and conduct drawings for a few days. He says Tennessee is the only state in the Mississippi Flyway that does blind drawings for the entire season.
“We want to share the spectacular waterfowl hunting in West Tennessee,” said Cook. “I think that's what the law mandates that we do.”
However the issue of duck blinds in West Tennessee isn’t the biggest complaint among Chattanooga area waterfowlers. Most complain about the lack of opportunity in their own backyard.
Ed McCoy of Chattanooga took part in the survey. “I told them exactly how I felt,” said McCoy. “I’ve given up on Tennessee. I don’t even buy a Tennessee license.” McCoy, like many Chattanooga area waterfowlers, buys a non-resident license and does his duck hunting in North Alabama. He says he doubts there is much that TWRA can do to get him back. “They just don’t take care of the few waterfowl management areas they do have,” said McCoy.
Coffey says much of the problem in East Tennessee is with TVA, that strictly controls what areas can, or can’t, be flooded for waterfowl. “If we could hold more water there are some places where we could fix some real nice places for ducks but the regulations are tough. TVA's concerns are always present. But I think we do a whole lot with the manpower we've got, and the budget."
Many duck hunters, such as McCoy, don’t agree. But as far as West Tennessee duck blind drawings, TWRA is going way out on a political limb to try and give the East Tennessee hunters some degree of equity.
Coffey and Cook are optimistic, especially if hunters will offer some vocal support. Coffey said, “if we can encourage East Tennessee hunters to support it, it’s got a better chance of passing because their money counts just like everybody else’s.”
A complete list of Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commissioners.